Few predicted that Colleen Hoover’s latest film adaptation would turn out as divisive as Regretting You has proved since its October 2025 release. The film, based on Hoover’s bestselling 2019 novel and directed by Josh Boone, aimed to capture Hoover’s signature blend of romance and family drama.
However, the Rotten Tomatoes score quickly became the talk of entertainment news. With a paltry 18% critic rating, Regretting You stands as a dramatic downgrade compared to It Ends With Us, which secured a considerably stronger 54% on the same platform.
For a writer whose books dominate TikTok and bestseller lists, such a noticeable drop has both critics and fans asking tough questions about the adaptation pipeline.
The movie’s premise offers plenty of dramatic material. Morgan Grant (played by Allison Williams) and her daughter Clara (McKenna Grace) are left reeling after the tragic deaths of Morgan’s husband and her sister.
The story quickly unfolds into a tense, emotionally fraught journey involving betrayal, secrets, and the difficult process of rebuilding familial trust. But reviewers agree that, despite sincere attempts, Susan McMartin’s screenplay adaptation and Boone’s direction failed to bring depth or originality to the melodrama.
Roger Ebert’s analysis called out the film’s “cheaply melodramatic” tone and lack of convincing performances, with critics describing many scenes as either overly dramatic or unintentionally comedic.
While It Ends With Us was also a lightning rod for debate, praised by some and critiqued by others for its depiction of trauma and healing, it managed to find a balanced emotional resonance that Regretting You sorely misses.
Blake Lively’s performance in the earlier film was widely seen as a stabilizing force, lifting a story that risked falling into cliché. In contrast, Allison Williams’s turn as Morgan is marked by intensity but lacks the quiet gravitas that made It Ends With Us memorable.
Mckenna Grace’s portrayal of Clara is more compelling but still hindered by formulaic storytelling and inconsistent pacing.
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Tellingly, many critics and viewers have drawn a direct line between the two adaptations, suggesting that Regretting You exposes all the cracks in the formula that worked for It Ends With Us.
With a Rotten Tomatoes score three times lower, Regretting You’s launch is seen by many as the moment Hollywood will need to rethink its approach to the Hoover brand.
Critics and Fans Clash Over the Adaptation’s Merits
Nearly every major entertainment outlet weighed in as Regretting You’s reviews started rolling in. Variety described the film as skirting the line between engaging soap opera and forgettable family melodrama but ultimately falling on the wrong side.
The New York Times echoed this, labeling it formulaic and making special note of writing that felt “goofy” and editing that didn’t do the story any favors. For many, the movie’s greatest attribute was its cast, which often managed to bring life to dull dialogue and convoluted character arcs.
Audience reaction tells another story. Some Rotten Tomatoes audience reviewers praised Regretting You for its faithfulness to the source material and the chemistry between Grace and Thames (who plays Clara’s love interest, Miller).
Fans on Reddit and the IMDb discussion boards found pockets of genuine emotion amid the melodrama, pointing to specific scenes like the hospital baby moment or tense family flashbacks as examples where Hoover’s narrative DNA shines through.
However, these moments rarely add up to a coherent film experience, and even loyal book fans found themselves wishing for a more daring adaptation.
Social media, especially TikTok and Instagram, kept the controversy alive, with hashtags like #RegrettingYouFlop and #HooverMovieFatigue circulating widely. Many comments contrast the dynamic storytelling in It Ends With Us and the predictable script dominating Regretting You.
There is also an undercurrent of concern that studios are chasing viral moments at the expense of credible filmmaking, risking adaptation burnout among a fan base notorious for championing flawed yet compelling stories.
Hollywood’s Hoover Gamble: Franchise or Fad?
For Hollywood and streaming platforms, the Colleen Hoover wave has been both a windfall and a warning. It Ends With Us scored big at the box office and bolstered Hoover’s film reputation, with its blend of hard topics and hopeful messaging striking a chord with young adults and mature viewers alike.
Regretting You, however, underscores the perils of rapid-fire adaptation in the age of BookTok and viral fandom.
Industry analysts are already debating the future of Hoover adaptations. Forbes and Deadline have flagged Regretting You’s weak financial projections and questioned whether studios will continue investing in high-profile casts and glossy releases without stronger storytelling.
The adaptation pipeline previously seemed ironclad, but this misstep could spur more caution and better creative oversight for future titles.
For Hoover fans, the debate continues: should movies stick closer to the books or take creative risks to capture a broader audience?
Regretting You’s troubled reception marks a critical juncture for Hoover’s Hollywood aspirations. Where It Ends With Us managed to blend authenticity with dramatic weight, the new film’s glaring downgrade on Rotten Tomatoes suggests that viral success doesn’t always translate to the big screen.
If studios want to keep the legend alive, they’ll need to listen and adapt, not just recycle stories that worked in print. Otherwise, Regretting You may be remembered as the moment the Colleen Hoover movie craze started running out of steam.
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